Talk:Taj Mahal

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	Taj Mahal has been listed as one of the Arts good articles under the good article criteria. If you can improve it further, please do. If it no longer meets these criteria, you can delist it, or ask for a reassessment.
Article milestones Date Process Result January 1, 2006 Peer review Reviewed June 16, 2006 Good article nominee Listed September 28, 2006 Featured article candidate Not promoted September 6, 2007 Good article reassessment Kept Current Status: Good article

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Contents 1 GA status 2 Good Article review 3 Virtual tours online 4 Addition of 360° panoramic picture 5 Copy edit 6 Taj Mahal or Tejo Mahalaya 7 Origins and architecture of the Taj Mahal 8 Interesting Fact! 9 Excuse me 10 Just a quote 11 Infobox 12 Please

[edit] GA status

After taking a look at the article, as well as its failed FA candidacy, I think that the same issues raised in the FA review might bar the article from GA status. The article was promoted to GA status about a year and a half ago, but the GA criteria have changed drfamatically since then (in fact I think there were no criteria at all in Jan 2006). I wanted to bring this up here to give editors and contributors a chance to work on the article and hopefully improve it based on the GA criteria. Otherwise, I'll nominate the article for GA review soon. Drewcifer3000 05:27, 25 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Good Article review

Given the above, I have nominated this article for Good Article review. Everyone is welcome to contribute to the discussion there. Drewcifer 02:58, 28 August 2007 (UTC)

The result of the review was to Keep the article listed as GA. You can find an archive of the discussion here. Drewcifer 08:52, 9 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Virtual tours online

We provide an excellent online tour, Explore the Taj Mahal http://www.taj-mahal.net - which is free to all, and includes materials which cannot be included in-line in Wikipedia, namely the panoramic views, interactive map and the narrated slide shows. We also provide free, downloadable pictures and graphics for free and unrestricted usage by schools.

We were listed for years under the external links section, due to the non-inline materials we provided.

Now I see that many have gotten around the ban on "commercial links" by listing parts of their websites in the references section.

Since policy (and enforcement of that policy) seems to have changed, could anyone tell me what the actual policy is now?

I would certainly like our virtual tour to be available to Wikipedia visitors, but it pains me to see our wonderful work prohibited while others circumvent the rules.

Thanks William Donelson

• I'd like to second this request: despite the fact that their website contains some advertisements, this really is a very informative piece of work. Especially as there are hardly any pictures of the interior of the Taj available on the web, because of the inhibition on cameras iside the Taj. I have a link to suggest for the external links section as well: as it is also prohibited to bring a video camera anywhere near the Taj, there are no close-up video images of the Taj. I've been very lucky to shoot highres footage myself in july 2006, which can be viewed at: http://www.imagesandmusic.nl/dhtml/Taj-Mahal.htm . In this video also still images are used, that were captured from the very QuikTime movies that can be found at www.taj-mahal.net (for want of other sources). With kind regards, André Kamer —Preceding unsigned comment added by ImagesAndMusic (talk • contribs) 12:55, 15 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Addition of 360° panoramic picture

I have donated and added a 360° panoramic picture to the Gardens section

William Donelson —Preceding unsigned comment added by Donelson (talk • contribs) 23:45, 10 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Copy edit

I did some copyedits to make the text look stubby and flow a little better. Could someone take a lead on expanding history and introducing a section on Influence? Do anyone has more citations that can be inline? Thanks! - RC 07:38, 15 September 2007 (UTC)

Something I had found on the Internet that seems to contradict a lot of notions regarding the Taj Mahal. Long reading. http://www.stephen-knapp.com/true_story_of_the_taj_mahal.htm 76.31.75.146 20:28, 6 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Taj Mahal or Tejo Mahalaya

No one has ever challenged it except Prof. P. N. Oak, who believes the whole world has been duped. In his book Taj Mahal: The True Story, Oak says the Taj Mahal is not Queen Mumtaz's tomb but an ancient Hindu temple palace of Lord Shiva (then known as Tejo Mahalaya) . In the course of his research O ak discovered that the Shiva temple palace was usurped by Shah Jahan from then Maharaja of Jaipur, Jai Singh. In his own court chronicle, Badshahnama, Shah Jahan admits that an exceptionally beautiful grand mansion in Agra was taken from Jai SIngh for Mumtaz's burial . The ex-Maharaja of Jaipur still retains in his secret collection two orders from Shah Jahan for surrendering the Taj building. Using captured temples and mansions, as a burial place for dead courtiers and royalty was a common practice among Muslim rulers.

For example, Humayun,Akbar, Etmud-ud-Daula and Safdarjung are all buried in such mansions. Oak's inquiries began with the name of Taj Mahal. He says the term "Mahal" has never been used for a building in any Muslim countries from Afghanisthan to Algeria. "The unusual explanation that the term Taj Mahal derives from Mumtaz Mahal was illogical in atleast two respects.

Firstly, her name was never Mumtaz Mahal but Mumtaz-ul-Zamani," he writes. Secondly, one cannot omit the first three letters 'Mum' from a woman's name to derive the remainder as the name for the building."Taj Mahal, he claims, is a corrupt version of Tejo Mahalaya, or Lord Shiva's Palace. Oak also says the love story of Mumtaz and Shah Jahan is a fairy tale created by court sycophants, blundering historians and sloppy archaeologists. Not a single royal chronicle of Shah Jahan's time corroborates the love story.

Furthermore, Oak cites several documents suggesting the Taj Mahal predates Shah Jahan's era, and was a temple dedicated to Shiva, worshipped by Rajputs of Agra city. For example, Prof. Marvin Miller of New York took a few samples from the riverside doorway of the Taj. Carbon dating tests revealed that the door was 300 years older than Shah Jahan. European traveler Johan Albert Mandelslo,who visited Agra in 1638 (only seven years after Mumtaz's death), describes the life of the cit y in his memoirs. But he makes no reference to the Taj Mahal being built. The writings of Peter Mundy, an English visitor to Agra within a year of Mumtaz's death, also suggest the Taj was a noteworthy building well before Shah Jahan's time.

Prof. Oak points out a number of design and architectural inconsistencies that support the belief of the Taj Mahal being a typical Hindu temple rather than a mausoleum. Many rooms in the Taj Mahal have remained sealed since Shah Jahan's time and are still inaccessible to the public. Oak asserts they contain a headless statue of Lord Shiva and other objects commonly used for worship rituals in Hindu temples . Fearing political backlash, Indira Gandhi's government tried to have Prof. Oak's book withdrawn from the bookstores, and threatened the Indian publisher of the first edition dire consequences . There is only one way to discredit or validate Oak's research.

Why does not the current government open the sealed rooms of the Taj Mahal under U.N. supervision, and let international experts investigate?

--121.246.158.79 (talk) 08:15, 6 December 2007 (UTC)Truth and nothing but the truth

Yes we know all about the late "Professor" (he died just two days ago) and his theories. See the Talk archive. Paul B (talk) 12:02, 6 December 2007 (UTC)

The Taj Mahal was built on a parcel of land to the south of the walled city of Agra. Shah Jahan presented Maharajah Jai Singh with a large palace in the centre of Agra in exchange for the land. -Chaghtai Le Tadj Mahal p54; Lahawri "Badshah Namah Vol.1 p403 It's could have been a temple for a palace exchange.

Yeah, it could also have been a land-for-palace exchange too, In fact there could have been just about anything there, except the sources mention say "And previously this was the manzil [halting-place, caravanserai, house] of Rajah Man Singh - not a temple. --Joopercoopers (talk) 01:23, 4 February 2008 (UTC)

well, until disproved that that the Taj Mahal was built by Maharajah Jai Singh, the theory still stands as a controversy. Courts & lawyers can't prove or disprove archeology.--Ne0Freedom 21:48, 3 March 2008 (UTC)

No, but no "archaeology" is involved, and all reliable sources and architectural historians agree who built it, and that's all that matters. Paul B (talk) 12:03, 4 March 2008 (UTC)

Please have a look at these website: http://www.stephen-knapp.com/true_story_of_the_taj_mahal.htm http://www.stephen-knapp.com/was_the_taj_mahal_a_vedic_temple.htm before claiming that Taj-Mahal was of moghul arcitecture. It was a Hindu temple. B1sac (talk) 15:45, 3 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Origins and architecture of the Taj Mahal

How about merging Origins and architecture of the Taj Mahal into Taj Mahal as the Architecture part is inclued in both articles and thus overlapping. Why have the 2 articles about the same stuff? Besides Origins and architecture of the Taj Mahal is a more ref version, its merger will make the article closer to FA. Another thing that can be done is a reverse merger , the section in Taj Mahal about architecture can be removed and placed in Origins and architecture of the Taj Mahal. Suggestions????? --Redtigerxyz (talk) 07:08, 18 December 2007 (UTC)

"Why have the 2 articles about the same stuff?" - because, as one of the world's most significant buildings, the subject warrants sufficiently in-depth coverage. 1 article for the origins and architecture, another for the post construction history and it's place in world culture, and another summary article (this one) to tie the two together. --Joopercoopers (talk) 15:19, 4 January 2008 (UTC)

Nice to see you back, Joopercoopers. If Origins and architecture of the Taj Mahal is to be kept the Taj Mahal article must be written in summary sytle. The current "Architecture" section in Taj Mahal be removed then and be replaced by a summarized version. --Redtigerxyz (talk) 08:18, 5 January 2008 (UTC)

Sounds good to me. --Joopercoopers (talk) 09:31, 15 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Interesting Fact!

Many or rather most does not know that during the rule of the British in India, some western writers and christian missionaries tried to claim that the design of the Taj was primarly designed by italian architects!!!! Ajjay (talk) 17:41, 19 January 2008 (UTC)

There were certainly numerous craftsmen involved, and there were Italian designers/craftsmen in Agra, so some were probably involved - along with many, many people of various backgrounds. The individual who is usually referred to in this context is a goldsmith called Geronimo Veroneo. Paul B (talk) 17:35, 7 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Excuse me

This article doesn't talk about why it was built in the first place! This is a serious problem. Contralya (talk) 03:50, 16 February 2008 (UTC)

I had added a "quote" by Shah Jahan who bulit Taj Mahal, it has been deleted. I think it was important, and also highlighted why he built it.Ajjay (talk) 04:58, 5 March 2008 (UTC)

Please also ad that it is one of the seven wonders of the world, and the topranked ! 59.180.54.227 (talk) 13:14, 9 March 2008 (UTC)

It's already in the tourism section. regards --Joopercoopers (talk) 15:39, 10 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Just a quote

I just read something beautiful: The Taj is not merely a sensuous reminiscence of an imperial amour or a fairy enchantment hewn from the moon’s lucent quarries, but the eternal dream of a love that survives death. The great mosques embody often a religious aspiration lifted to a noble austerity which supports and is not lessened by the subordinated ornament and grace. The tombs reach beyond death to the beauty and joy of Paradise. (The Complete Works of Sri Aurobindo, Volume 20, Page 284). --Bhadani (talk) 15:39, 22 March 2008 (UTC)

I think that's utterly beautiful. Perhaps we should include it as testament to the almost universal praise the building has elicited throughout the ages. --Joopercoopers (talk) 16:48, 22 March 2008 (UTC)

for a project, I had to find out what peoples opinions on certain buildings are. I could find anything in the article so i looked here. I think i'll use that piece of text, but could we put something in the article about praise/criticism? (although i doubt theres any criticism) --Jezzamon (talk) 08:38, 15 May 2008 (UTC)

...also, while I'm adding things that would make my life easier, it would be interesting (and useful to me) to add what the architects inspiration was. --Jezzamon (talk) 09:05, 15 May 2008 (UTC)

See origins and architecture of the Taj Mahal. --Joopercoopers (talk) 09:10, 15 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Infobox

I've removed it again - see the archive, it doesn't add any information that of any real use. --Joopercoopers (talk) 12:52, 30 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Please

Take out "Touch my hole" from in the extereor decoration part. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 97.89.120.97 (talk) 11:30, 17 May 2008 (UTC)

Well spotted - thanks, I've removed it. You're are free of course to edit yourself, we need people with sharp eyes - I notice the article is no longer protected, so you don't need an account, although getting one is generally considered more fun. --Joopercoopers (talk) 11:42, 19 May 2008 (UTC)